‘Parks and Recreation’ season 6, episode 13 review: Chris and Ann’s exit was…
We took a little time to let the exit of Chris and Ann on “Parks and Recreation” simmer before writing about it, mostly because it is such a bittersweet moment. From one standpoint, Thursday night’s send-off was such a beautiful 30 minutes of TV that we really wish there was more of it, and like Leslie Knope, we don’t want them to go. At the same time, however, we watched the entire episode with a sense of dread. We don’t know what the show will do without them.
To us, the best moment of the entire half-hour was seeing the massive every-holiday party that Leslie put together, complete with everything from an Easter Bunny to a 4th of July barbecue. It was so Leslie that she would go through this sort of effort for her best friend; meanwhile, it was so everyone else that the only thing that they would do for Chris at first was get him a gift card that he may or may not actually use.
It’s hard to break down every little moment, since so many of them felt right, whether it be April actually telling Ann that she loves her (sort of) to her having individual moments with both Andy and Tom, her former loves. Also, Chris finally did get a great gift from the guys, and Ron Swanson showed more affection than he typically does in a season. We were somewhat surprised that the two left without the baby being born yet, but this is a story that could pick up at some point in the future. While Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe are going to have other comedy projects, we’re sure that they will return here at some point.
Moving into the horizon, we’re scared for the show admittedly, given that these two were such a big reason why it started to come together after a shaky first season. But, at least we have the moments to look back fondly on, and hopefully we can be pleasantly surprised in the future. For now, let’s just enjoy this wonderful episode for what it was. Grade: A.
Do you think that “Parks and Recreation” handled the exit of Chris and Ann in the way in which they should have? Be sure to share your thoughts below.